Gianfranco Mancini’s Reviews > Death in the Deep: An Anthology of Aquatic Horror > Status Update

The fog closed in on them. Erickson slumped in the raft’s corner, a useless lump. Bateman continued to paddle using an odd bit of wreckage, casting one last look at the sinking vessel. They’d drifted around the aft and as the ship began to fade from view, he saw her go belly up. It was difficult to see the damage in the dark, but the sliver of moon seemed to reveal long score marks—like slashes—along her bottom.

Randy screamed, while momentarily dipping below the surface and coming back up. “Dude, what’s going on? Get in the boat!” “Something cut me, I’m bleeding.” A pool of red-tinged ocean water began spreading around Randy. Daniel couldn’t tell how badly. The way blood spreads in water, it could have been minor, but Daniel didn’t think so. He knew there was something wrong.

Something surfaces nearby. I don’t let myself cry. There’s already enough salt water around me. I focus on not drowning. As soon as the cramp dissipates I’ll focus on not getting eaten. More people have drowned because of cramps than have been eaten by sharks. Wouldn’t it be just my luck if I died of both?

It all happened in a flash. One minute, Ben was floating above the reef, the next he was being chased. A maw as wide as the grill of a school bus full of sharp triangular teeth came barrelling toward him. He threw the dead shark pup and his spear toward the beast and swam as fast as he could, but his speed was no match for the alpha predator.

“Well, in the light that don’t look too bad. You heal fast, boy. That’s good.” Cole put his own jacket on then, telling Harmon, “I’ll be back in a bit. You try runnin’ off with the money and you’ll be reunited with Billy a lot sooner than you might think.” He hefted the .38 in plain view of Harmon’s frightened gaze before snuggling the revolver in his rear waistband again.

He felt a heavy hand on his shoulder and turned to see Paulo, his moustache stretched in a thin line over his grim mouth. “What did we bring on board?” the security guard breathed, his pupils pin-pricked in terror. “We have to get everybody into the lifeboats,” Dave urged, ignoring the question.

“Is it gone?” Dave looked at his friend. He leaned down, offering a hand. “Yeah, mate. I think so.” Shinya took his hand and slowly stood. “What was it?” Dave laughed, without humour. “Sea monster.” “Those spines…” “I know. Did you see anything else? Fins, tail, anything?” “No. Just a massive, black… thing. With those huge spikes on it.”